Pedigree cats are great fun, but only if you know how to properly care for them. With the wrong kind of food, they can get sick.

Do different cat breeds need different food? Some do and some don’t. Bengals, British shorthairs, Maine coons, Norwegian forest cats and Persian cats are just some of those that do. Differences include bigger or smaller kibble sizes, softer or harder food, special vitamins for different breeds, or extra carbohydrate or fat. High quality food is always a necessity.

Sphynx cats, Siamese cats and Ragdoll cats may also be happier eating breed-specific food. Potential benefits include a shinier coat, stronger joints, and improved general health. That’s definitely worth the investment of spending some time and energy looking for quality food.

Food for Different Cat Breeds

Not all cats are born equal! Whilst a lovable moggie will eat just about anything you put in front of it, some breeds of cat have their own specific food requirements. So it’s just as well that manufacturers have diversified their ranges, and make breed-specific cat food! In this article, we’re going to be looking at the nutritional and practical needs of different breeds of cat, and the ways in which food has been tailored to them.

There are also general considerations we have to take into account when we think about cat food. A good cat owner should know all about the pros and cons of wet and dry cat food. Fortunately, we have wet cat food and dry cat food guides ready and waiting for you to dive in to! We’ve even prepared a guide to all the different types of cat feeder, too. When it comes to feeding your cat, we’ve got your informational needs covered.

Could you ignore this advice and just feed your cat generic cat food if you wanted? Sure you could. But breed-specific cat food is there for a reason. Some cat breeds struggle to cope with basic cat foods because of their physiology. Others need more of a certain ingredient than basic cat food provides them with.

Understanding the benefits of different cat food forms requires detailed scientific study. Different breeds of cat have different genetic signatures, and when providing this information we take into account detailed studies like this one. We also look at cats own preferences, which have also been studied extensively.

So, taking all of that into account, let’s look at the facts! Unfortunately, there isn’t just one broad and general exotic cat food, so we’re breaking it all down by breed.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Bengal Cats

When it comes to Bengal cats, the things that are taken into account when looking at their food requirements are their unique jaw shape, their enhanced muscle tone compared to other cats, and their super glossy coats. Bengal cats can also have, by comparison, sensitive digestive systems. They also need catering to. As such, the primary features of breed-specific cat food for Bengal cats are:-

Y-shaped kibble to specially adapted to suit Bengal jaws, and promote plenty of chewing to support oral hygiene.
Higher levels of protein and fat to build and maintain muscle mass. Bengal cats are athletic cats!
Specially selected protein, often containing pre-biotics and adapted fibres, to maintain balance within a Bengal’s intestinal fauna.
A high powered blend of vitamins, amino acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 to help your Bengal maintain a shiny coat, and healthy skin.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For British Shorthair Cats

Who doesn’t love a British Shorthair? They’re fluffy and full of love. They’re characterised by having wider faces than your average cat, and that’s one of the things

that needs catering to. When preparing food for British Shorthair cats, manufacturers take into account not only their wider jaw, but their enhanced need for foods that complement their bones and joints. Cardiac health can be a concern for British Shorthairs, and so breed-specific cat food for them is careful to address that issue, too. If you’re buying British Shorthair cat food, you should look for:-

Large, curved dry cat food which is easier for British Shorthairs to grab on to and chew.
Omega 3 fatty acids composed in a manner that promotes healthy bones and joints
Healthy doses of taurine, DHA and EPA to support and maintain cardiac function
Protein enriched with L-carnitine, which maintains muscle mass and regulates metabolism. British Shorthairs are slightly prone to putting on weight!

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Maine Coon Cats

Maine Coon cats are very large cats. But then if you have one, you already knew that! They’re excellent hunters, too, and they’re regarded as one of the most intelligent breeds of cat in the world. Like the British Shorthair, they have wide jaws, and many of their dietary needs are similar to those of their British cousins. In fact, the specifics of breed-specific cat food for Maine Coon cats are virtually identical, with the exception of an extra focus on their super glossy fur. Maine coon cat food should contain:-

Extra large kibble. Maine Coon cats have big, square jaws (they’re very handsome cats) and so they need more to crunch and bite into.
Healthy doses of taurine, DHA and EPA to support and maintain cardiac function.
Special formulas to take care of their bones and joints, usually also containing DHA and EPA as enrichment.
A blend of vitamins, amino acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 to make sure their thick coats keep their shine.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Norwegian Forest Cats

Norwegian Forest cats grew up to survive the cold! There are no prizes for guessing where they originated. Nowadays you can find them anywhere, but the breed originates in the snowy, Northern European country. Out of necessity, they have very long, thick coats of fur. They even have a second layer of fur beneath the first, like an underlay! Used to hunting in freezing conditions, Norwegian Forest Cats have very powerful jaws, which their food should cater to. All of that fur needs some special maintenance too. Especially when it causes furballs. Breed-specific cat food for Norwegian Forest cats looks after them in the following ways:-

Specially shaped kibble to encourage strong chewing and maintain oral hygiene and jaw strength. It’s also shaped with slower digestion in mind. This breed of cat have been known to wolf their food down too quickly. So would you if you were in sub zero temperatures!
A carefully concocted blend of fibres, designed to reduce furballs. They work by stimulating the intestines and breaking down excess hair, stopping the furballs from forming in the first place.
A completely breed-specific blend of nutrients to keep their unique coats glossy. They’re enriched with healthy fatty acids.
Protein enriched with L-carnitine, which maintains muscle mass and regulates metabolism.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Persian Cats

Persian cats could never be mistaken for any other breed! With their wide faces and tiny jaws, it’s hard to know where the head ends and the fur begins. And is there ever a lot of fur! Because of their unique genetics, Persians need to be looked after very carefully. Scientific study has been done into the illnesses that Persian cats are prone to, and their food has been designed with that in mind. There’s a strong focus on digestive and urinary health in particular. A good breed-specific Persian cat food will feature:-

Specially designed kibble, with a wide surface area, that’s easy for brachycephalic (that’s the correct scientific term for them!) little Persian jaws to pick up and chew.
Breed-specific formulas to assist with furball reduction. Specially enriched fibres work to control furball formation and persuade the intestine to digest fur before it builds up.
A special balance of minerals focused on preserving the cat’s urinary heath.
Extra highly digestible proteins, containing pre-biotics, to preserve the cat’s healthy intestinal fauna.
A blend of vitamins, amino acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 to make sure their thick coats keep their shine.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Ragdoll Cats

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that a Ragdoll is just another soft, fluffy cat. They’re not. They may well be fluffy, and they’re certainly good-natured, but under that coat they’re all muscle! If Ragdolls were people, they’d definitely go to the gym regularly. Like other cats with strong muscle tone, for example the British Shorthair and the Maine Coon, their food requires an extra focus on their hearts and joints. That should be reflected in the ingredients, so when buying ragdoll cat food, look out for:-

Specially adapted kibble for their broad jaws. It’s not as easy for a Ragdoll to grasp at kibble as it is for other cats.
Healthy doses of taurine, DHA and EPA to support and maintain cardiac function.
Special formulas to take care of their bones and joints, usually also containing DHA and EPA as enrichment.
A high powered blend of vitamins, amino acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 to help them maintain a shiny coat, and healthy skin.

Breed-Specific Cat Food for Siamese Cats

You never forget the first time a Siamese looks at you in disapproval! These famously unique looking cats are very vocal, and very demanding. They want a lot of

your attention! They tend to get it too – they’re very handsome cats with stunning blue eyes. They’re also hyper intelligent. That means that they know when you’re ignoring them, and they’ll sulk if they don’t get their own way! Life with a Siamese is always entertaining, and they’re great companions. Their dietary needs are all about their physiology. They look very different to most cat breeds, with longer, leaner bodies, and extended muzzles. Siamese cat food is all designed to support the specifics of their anatomy. If you’re a Siamese owner, you’ll find mealtimes easier if your cat food has:-

Tube shaped kibble. Siamese mouths are long and narrow. That makes some forms of kibble completely impractical to chew and swallow.
Proteins selected for their high digestibility, and containing pre-biotics, to preserve the cat’s healthy intestinal fauna.
Breed-specific vitamin and amino acid blends to focus on their coats. Siamese cats have shorter coats than most cats, and so they need different levels of skin oils and fatty acids to maintain them.
Increased protein levels, and moderated fat levels, in their wet food. The muscle tone of their bodies is completely unique to their breed, and requires careful maintenance. Fat needs to be metabolised quickly, and the food should contain agents to help with that.

Breed-Specific Cat Food For Sphynx Cats

Sphynx cats have been specially bred not to have a coat, thanks to a breeding program that started in the 1960s in Canada. You’d have thought they might be grumpy about that, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sphynx cats are exceptionally friendly. They’re great with children, they love human company, and they learn tricks easily. They even usually greet you at the door with love and affection when you come home! As you might expect, the fact that they’re hairless comes with its own dietary requirements. Also, as a quirk of their breed, they expend a lot more energy than other cats do, and that needs replacing. That makes the following list a good set of Sphynx cat food attributes:-

Thick, triangle shaped cat kibble, which is specially adapted to the shape of their jaw and easier for them to chew.
A complex and well tailored blend of nutrients to help their skin in its role as a barrier. Without fur to protect them, the skin needs extra help! A good mixture of fatty acids assists with this.
Healthy doses of taurine, DHA and EPA to support and maintain cardiac function.
High calorie, high fat formula wet food to keep their energy levels replenished.

Hey! You Didn’t Mention My Cat’s Breed!

We’re really sorry about that, but we have good reason for it. Not every breed of cat needs its own breed-specific cat food. If you’re looking for Scottish fold cat food, Burmese cat food, American shorthair cat food or Abyssinian cat food, you’re in luck. You can feed them whatever you like, and they’ll be no worse off for it.

Variants of all of the above foods are also available for the breeds then they’re kittens, so look out for those, too. It’s all about having the right food for your cat, at the right time. We appreciate that breed-specific cat food is more expensive than its generic equivalent. There’s no way around that.

But if you’ve made the financial and emotional investment into a specific breed in cat, we think it’s worth going the extra mile to keep your furry (or fur-less in the case of the Sphynx!) friend around for longer, in the best of health. Plus, would you really want to put your Persian in a bad mood by feeding it substandard food? Think of the glares and the sulking!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read our article today. We appreciate it. If you have friends who own a breed of cat listed above, why not share the information with them?